A RESTAURATEUR has slammed Bournemouth council after communal bins were installed just metres away from his business.

Edward Hila, who runs Italian restaurant and coffee bar Del Marco, said the two new bins will drive customers away. He was informed of their installation by a hand-delivered letter just six days before they were put in place on Friday morning.

The bins, which are chained to the ground, lie less than two metres from an outdoor seating area at the front of the restaurant in Yelverton Road.

Mr Hila said: "The bins are for the flats in Verulam Place.

"They're on the double yellow lines, but apparently the Highways Agency doesn't have a problem with that.

"It's going to have such a detrimental effect, from an environmental point of view and from a visual point of view.

"We can seat 16 outside, but no one will want to sit right next to these bins."

Council officials say the bins have been installed as part of a three-month trial. However, Mr Hila said: "We had no chance to object, and this council's trials are always made permanent.

"They are harming small businesses trying to survive in a tough market. There's no support for independent traders here.

"If we were a Starbucks instead, I bet this wouldn't have happened."

Councillor Nigel Hedges, the council’s small business champion, said: “How anyone with any concern about retail in this town can comer up with an idea like this is totally beyond me.

“It’s ridiculous and it’ll be a magnet for fly-tipping.”

He said he will discuss the issue with Paul Kinvig, chief operating officer of Bournemouth Town Centre’s Business Improvement District.

Cllr Mike Greene, cabinet member for cleansing and waste, said: “There are around 50 properties in Verulam Place.

“There is not a particular place for residents to have their rubbish collected. Previously, rubbish has been left in black bags outside each property for collection.

“This causes problems with seagulls, which rip open the bags and leave litter everywhere.”